Research Guides: Security Studies: Websites

Suggested Keywords

Counterinsurgency, Cybersecurity, Cyberterrorism, Foreign Policy, Foreign Relations, Globalization, Grand Strategy, Homeland, Human rights, Intelligence, National Security, Terrorism, Terrorists, Rogue Nations, Rogue States, Failed States, Peacekeeping, WDD, Weapons of Mass Destruction, CBRN, Chemical, Biological, Radioactive, Nuclear

Military Libraries' Sources of Information (particularly regional studies)

Dudley Knox Library Research Guide - Naval PostGraduate School
Free links as well as material limited to that institution.
Marine Corps University Research Library - Regional Studies
See tabs on the left for more topics, such as country studies, military strategy, etc.
Texas A&M Libraries International Affairs Research Guides
While not quite a "military library," they link some excellent sources regarding regional studies as well as military data (arms expenditures, casualties, and non-state actors), WMDs, and terrorism.
U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center - Regional Studies Resources
A great guide which has lots of links to free content as well as material limited to the school.
United States Air Force Academy Military & Strategic Studies
U.S. Army’s institute for geostrategic and national security research and analysis.

Selected U.S. Government Information Sources

Central Intelligence Agency's (CIA) Freedom of Information Act Electronic Reading Room
View documents released through the FOIA and other CIA release programs.
Defense Technical Information Center
Preserves, curates, and shares knowledge from the DoD's investment in science and technology to accelerate capability to the warfighter.
Foreign Relations of the United States
Official documentary historical record of major U.S. foreign policy decisions and significant diplomatic activity.
Strategic Studies Institute
U.S. Army’s institute for geostrategic and national security research and analysis.
U.S. Department of State Counties and Areas List
Information about relations between various countries and the United States. Includes Fact Sheets, Travel Advisories, and more.
United States Department of Defense DoD Budget Requests
Yearly budget request materials made by the U.S. Department of Defense.
United States National Archives
Provides for the identification, protection, preservation, and accessibility of historically valuable records of the U.S. federal government.
World Factbook
The World Factbook presents the basic country information and is one of the U.S. Government’s most accessed publications.

Primary Sources & Data

Correlates of War Project
Facilitates the collection, dissemination, and use of accurate and reliable quantitative data in international relations.
Database on Suicide Attacks
Contains specific information for all suicide attacks committed in modern history, from 1982 through 2019.
GlobalFirepower
Private, for-profit organization uses a unique analytical display of data concerning 145 modern military powers.
Global Terrorism Database
An open-source database on terrorist events around the world from 1970 through 2020.
ICPSR (Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research)
Maintains a data archive of more than 350,000 files of research in the social and behavioral sciences.
SIPRI Military Expenditure Database
Independent non-profit organization collecting data based on open sources which varies considerably by country.
Terrorism & Preparedness Data Resource Center
From the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START)
United Nations Digital Library
Provides access to UN-produced materials in digital format free of charge, including primary sources/data.
United Nations Report on Military Expenditures
Governments can report their annual military spending to the United Nations. This may increase confidence among States within regions and beyond.

Think Tanks

American Security Project
A nonpartisan organization created to educate about the changing nature of national security.
Center for a New American Security
A nonprofit organization that develops strong, pragmatic, and principled national security and defense policies.
Center for International Security and Cooperation
Brings together leading scholars in the social and natural sciences to collaborate across disciplines and professional backgrounds.
Center for Security Studies ETH Zurich
A center of competence for Swiss and international security policy.
Center for Strategic and International Studies
A bipartisan, nonprofit policy research organization dedicated to advancing practical ideas to address the world’s greatest challenges.
Council on Foreign Relations
An independent organization dedicated to being a resource in order to better understand the world and the foreign policy choice.
Foreign Policy Research Institute
Dedicated to producing highest quality scholarship focused on crucial foreign policy/national security challenges facing the United States.
Institute for National Security Studies
An independent think tank influencing Israel’s long-term national security policy.
Institute For the Study of War
Advances an informed understanding of military affairs through reliable research, trusted analysis, and innovative education.
International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS)
A world-leading authority on global security, political risk and military conflict.
National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START)
Comprised of an international network of scholars committed to the scientific study of terrorism in the United States and around the world.
Rand Corporation
A nonprofit research organization that develops solutions to public policy challenges.
Stockholm International Peace Research Institute
Independent international institute dedicated to research into conflict, armaments, arms control and disarmament.
U.S. Institute of Peace
National, nonpartisan, independent institute dedicated to the proposition that a world without violent conflict is possible.